Sunday, October 13, 2013

Concert Review: Nine Inch Nails Bring "Tension" To Mohegan Sun

One of the most iconic bands to burst onto the music scene in the nineties is the industrial hard rock band Nine Inch Nails led by multi-instrumentalist extraordinaire Trent Reznor. His albums have defined a generation of followers as his music brought industrial rock to the mainstream with hits like "Head Like A Hole" and "Hurt."

While his albums are a musical escapes, including the most recent Nine Inch Nails album, "Hesitation Marks." A Nine Inch Nails live show have become some of the most eye-opening concert experiences that one can hope to be a part of. Saturday night, Reznor and his band brought his latest live experience to the Mohegan Sun arena.

As the lights dimmed, a low-lite, smoke-filled stage became the setting for the opening song "Copy Of A," the first of eight new songs the band performed. The lighting on the stage would come from everywhere including the two huge screens that where lowered from the ceiling (one in front of the band and one behind). Images and different effects where used on these screens during the songs "Disappointed" and "Came Back Haunted" in order to hide the band and make them a living part of the stage's effects. While the crowd looked in awe at the amazingly inventive light show, if was the older songs like "Terrible Lie" and "March Of The Pigs" than got fans shouting along to the chorus. The tour debut of the song "Repitle" drew a huge applause, before Reznor and the band slowed things down with the piano instrumental "The Frail," before returning to the explosive sound of "The Wretched." The new song "In Two" made it's live debut before the band closed out their 100 minute set with fan favorites "Burn," "Hand That Feeds," and "Head Like A Hole."

As the feedback filled the speakers, the band returned for the five song encore, beginning with the mellow "The Day That Went Away" and the slow-build up of "Even Deeper." The night closed with a must see rendition of Reznor's most meaningful song, "Hurt" as the final blast of music signaled the end of a truly unique, but must see show.

As his music and stage shows continue to grows and stretch the boundries, Trent Reznor and his band will always be considered one of the innovators of modern heavy metal music.

The night began promptly with a 40-minute set by Canadian post-rock band Godspeed You! Black Emperor. Their feedback-fused set sounded like a horror movie soundtrack as multi-layered film clips were shown on a giant white sheet covering the back of the stage.

Setlist: Copy Of A, 1,000,000, Terrible Lie, March Of The Pigs, Reptile, All Time Low, Disappointed, Came Back Haunted, Find My Way, The Frail, The Wretched, In Two, Survivalism, Running, A Warm Place, Somewhat Damaged, Wish, Burn, The Hand That Feeds, Head Like A Hole

Encore: The Day The World Went Away, The Deeper, While I'm Still Here, Black Noise, Hurt